Amewu was too hasty - Kweku Baako

The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, earlier this week, announced investigations into what it says is the fraudulent sale of state lands by the previous administration to cronies, with the Minister adding that the lands were given away like “kelewele” [fried pieces of plantain] without regard to due process.

The Ministry has therefore compiled a list of over 400 people including former Presidents, J.J Rawlings and J.A Kufour and former Chief Justice, Georgina Wood as part of high profile personalities who were allocated state lands by the previous government.

But the former Presidents and Chief Jusctice have all denied purchasing any state land.

The immediate past sector minister, Inusah Fuseini in response said the NPP government sold out state lands like "toffees".

Speaking to the issue on Joy FM’s News File Saturday, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako accused the Minister of indiscretion and for hastily jumping to conclusions when the committee had not concluded its work.

“Mr Amewu, I’m wondering, when he saw the list did he look at it seriously? even the name Kufour there and the Jerry Rawlings, didn’t it strike him that hey let me take my time and look at this list carefully and see what’s going on. Didn’t he see Jake’s name there? Is he aware that Jake’s case went to court? Is he aware that the case begun in 2008, final verdict being in 2013 determined by a court. So perhaps he ought to take it out of the context of kelewele?

“He actually said there’s a committee working on this issue and a report will be submitted, if the report is not ready why go to town…what is the aim, what is the minister’s motive. Kelewele versus toffee who wins? I mean it’s incredible, it’s the same way these same politicians handled this ex-gratia thing...

"...I don’t think the minister handled it well, if it’s the media that is doing is work that’s a different matter. If the media comes to you with some report, you say I’m studying it and I’ll come back later. But you don’t throw in this kelewele stuff so that you invite Fuseini [former Lands Minister] to come in with toffee. Now it’s a distortion we’re discussing, nobody is making sense. We’ve thrown out there emotions.”